ed? Ah! you think
it's a party of Guaycurus?"

"No, indeed. But something we may dread as much--ay, more--than them.
If my eyes don't deceive me, that's a _tormenta_."

"Ha!" exclaims the young cacique, at length comprehending. "A
_tormenta_, you think it is?"

The others of the band mechanically mutter the same word, in like tones
of apprehension. For although slow to perceive the sign, even yet but
slightly perceptible, all of them have had experience of the danger.

"I do, chief," answers he interrogated. "Am now sure of it."

While they are still speaking it--the cloud--mounts higher against the
blue background of sky, as also becomes more extended along the line of
the horizon. Its colour, too, has sensibly changed, now presenting a
dun yellowish appearance, like that mixture of smoke and mist known as a
"London fog." But it is somewhat brighter, as though it hung over,
half-concealing and smothering, the flames of some grand conflagration.

And as they continue regarding it, red corruscations begin to shoot
through its opaque mass, which they can tell to be flashes of lightning.
Yet all this while, upon the spot where they have pulled up the sun is
shining serenely, and the air still and tranquil as if gale or breeze
had never disturbed it!

But it is a stillness abnormal, unnatural, accompanied by a scorching
heat, with an atmosphere so close as to threaten suffocation.

This, however, lasts but a short while. For in less than ten minutes
after the cloud was first descried, a wind reaches them blowing directly
from it at first, in puffs and gusts, but cold as though laden with
sleet, and so strong as to sweep several of them from the backs of their
horses. Soon after all is darkness above and around them. Darkness as
of night; for the dust has drifted over the sun, and its disc is no
longer visible--having disappeared as in a total eclipse, but far more
suddenly.

It is too late for them to retreat to any place of shelter, were one
ever so near, which there is not. And well know they the danger of
being caught in that exposed spot; so well that the scene now exhibited
in their ranks is one of fright and confusion.

Terrified exclamations are sent up on all sides, but only one voice of
warning, this from him who had first descried the cloud.

"From your horses!" he calls out, "take shelter behind them, and cover
your faces with your _jergas_! If you don't you'll be blinded
outright."

Hi